Fluid carrying pipes are subject to leakage caused by damage or deterioration over time. When the leak in the pipe is readily accessible, repairing the leak is fairly straightforward. However, when the leaking pipe is buried in the ground or is otherwise not readily accessible, it is frequently difficult not only to locate the leak, but to repair the pipe and seal off the leak.
Repairing a leaking pipe typically involves positioning a clamp over the leak. The clamp is slipped over the pipe and facing end portions of the clamp are tightly drawn together typically by nut and bolt combinations. The repair clamp is typically comprised of high strength steel and is frequently difficult to position on the pipe and draw the opposed ends of the clamp together so that the clamp is securely positioned on the pipe because of the tendency of the clamp ends to pull away from one another due to tension in the clamp. This task also typically involves positioning a gasket comprised of a suitable sealing material between the fluid-carrying pipe and the repair clamp. This task is frequently made extremely difficult by leakage of the fluid from the pipe and may even be highly dangerous when dealing with hazardous materials. In addition, because of the difficulty in excavating around the pipe without damaging the pipe, access to the leaking portion of the pipe is typically very restricted and this further complicates and renders more difficult the task. Finally, because of the leaking fluid, the underground location, and the structure of the repair clamp, the clamp installer is subject to injury.
The present invention addresses the difficulties encountered in the prior art by providing a manually operated tool which facilitates the positioning of a pipe repair clamp about a leaking pipe for sealing off the leak. The pipe repair clamp installation tool can be operated with the use of only one hand allowing the installer to use the other hand for proper positioning of the clamp on the pipe. Once the repair clamp is properly positioned on the pipe, the installation tool securely maintains the repair clamp in position over the leak allowing for the tightening of nut and bolt combinations which draw the clamp tightly about the pipe in sealing off the leak. The installation tool is adjustable in size to accommodate a wide range of repair clamp dimensions and pipe diameters.